These Easy Sour Cream Cookies are an old fashioned recipe that’s worth making over and over. They are SO soft, slightly tangy, and easy to make.
Way before there were Lofthouse cookies, there were these Easy Sour Cream Cookies.
They’re also known as Amish Sour Cream Cookies, or Sour Cream Drop Cookies.
I’ve dated this old fashioned recipe back to at least the 1960s (and it may have been around before that). The cookie itself is soft and fluffy, with the tiniest bit of tang from the sour cream. The sour cream offsets the sugar in the cookie and the buttercream frosting so nicely, making a truly irresistible cookie.
They’re easy to make—just use a stand mixer to mix everything, chill, and bake.
And, they’re customizable. You can enjoy them on their own, frost them (like Lofthouse cookies), or roll them in sprinkles before baking for a festive treat at Christmas time.
I’m adding these cookies to my Christmas baking list this year, where Grandma’s Rum Balls and Grandma’s Soft and Chewy Snickerdoodles reside!
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Why use sour cream in cookies?
Sour cream creates a velvety, tender, cake-like cookie. Specifically, the high fat content adds a richness to the cookies, the acid keeps them tender, and the sour cream/baking soda combination keeps the cookies soft.
Top tips
- Set out your butter before baking so it softens in time. Leave it out for 1–2 hours at room temperature.
- Use full fat sour cream for best results.
- Leave enough time for the dough to chill: 2 hours in the refrigerator. This ensures a fluffy cookie (otherwise they will be flat).
- If you’re going to roll the cookie dough in sprinkles, use sanding sugar (also known as decorating sugar or sparkling sugar) for best results.
Ingredients
- This recipe uses one whole cup of sour cream.
- Make sure that the butter is at room temperature before starting.
- A good vanilla extract will really stand out in this recipe.
- A combination of baking powder and baking soda makes them fluffy.
How to make easy sour cream cookies
Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. You can also use a large bowl and a hand mixer. Beat until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs, vanilla, and sour cream, and beat until combined.
Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix just until combined.
The dough will be quite soft. Chill the dough for at least 2 hours (or overnight).
Use a cookie scoop or spoon to roll the cookies into 1½ inch balls. Roll in sanding sugar if desired, or just place on a baking sheet and bake at 400°F for 9–10 minutes.
The cookies will just begin to brown around the edges.
Remove from the oven and let cool before frosting.
Decorating ideas
These cookies are delicious plain. But you can also jazz them up!
One option is to roll the cookies in sanding sugar before baking. You can use any color that you like.
Another option is to frost the cookies with a buttercream frosting after baking (frosting recipe in the recipe card below). Make sure that the cookies are completely cool before frosting.
Keep the frosting plain, dye it with food coloring, or add sprinkles to the top (like these edible gold stars).
Can I make sour cream cookies ahead of time?
Sour cream cookies can be made ahead in several ways:
- Make the dough ahead. Refrigerate the dough for up to 48 hours before baking.
- Make and bake the cookies ahead. They will keep 4–5 days in an airtight container. If you’re using frosting, frost the cookies—it’ll keep as long as the cookies do.
Can I freeze sour cream cookies?
You can easily freeze sour cream cookies. There are several options for that.
The first option is to freeze the dough. Roll it into balls and freeze in a single layer in a resealable freezer bag. Defrost in the refrigerator before baking.
The second option is to freeze the baked cookies. I recommend not frosting them until after you’re frozen and defrosted them if you choose this route, just to keep the frosting nice. To freeze the baked cookies, place them in a single layer (or stack them with wax paper in between) in a freezer-safe dish or freezer bag.
How to store
Store these Easy Sour Cream Cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 4–5 days. You can also freeze the cookies (see instructions above).
More old fashioned cookies
- Grandma’s Rum Balls
- Cocoa Drop Cookies
- Chocolate Marshmallow Cookies
- Corn Flake Cookies
- Soft & Chewy Ginger Cookies
- Snowball Cookies
- Old Fashioned Spritz Cookies
- Poinsettia Cookies
Have you tried this recipe? Please leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and/or comment below!
📖 Recipe
Easy Sour Cream Cookies
Ingredients
For the cookies:
- ½ cup butter softened
- 1½ cups sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2¾ cup flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
Decoration option #1
- Sanding sugar
Decoration option #2: frosting
- 1 cup butter softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1½ tablespoons milk
Instructions
- Place butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer (you can also use a large bowl and a hand mixer). Beat on high until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs, sour cream, and vanilla. Beat to combine.
- Stir in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Chill the dough for at least 2 hours (or up to 48 hours).
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
- Use a cookie scoop to scoop 1½ inch balls onto the baking sheet. Keep 2 inches in between the balls of dough.
- If you’re using sanding sugar, roll each ball in sanding sugar before placing on the baking sheet.
- Bake for 9–10 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown. Let cool.
- If you’re using frosting, place all frosting ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on high until light and fluffy (you can also use a bowl and a hand mixer).
- Frost the cookies and top with sprinkles, if desired.
Stephanie F says
These cookies were easy to make and so soft and delicious! I definitely plan to make them again!
Kate Shungu says
Yay! So glad you liked them, Steph!